2011 Newsletter the YDA by the Numbers: Yale Debate Finishes Another Record Season
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Fall 2011 Newsletter The YDA by the numbers: Yale Debate Finishes Another Record Season (Brandeis) and fourth (Boston 12 University) place teams combined. Tournament Wins Individual members of the YDA also made a very impressive showing this season. Nick Cugini (CC ‗13) and Sabrina Ali (ES ‗11) finished a narrow second in the race for 7 APDA Team of the Year (―TOTY‖, an award meant to Top Speaker The YDA at the 2011 APDA National Championship. recognize the consistent success Awards of a single pair of debaters), For the third year in a row, with the teams of Alyssa Bilinski (CC members of the Yale Debate ‗13) and Kate Falkenstien (SY ‗12) as Association shattered American well as Robert Colonel (SY ‗13) and Parliamentary Debate Association David Trinh (TD ‗12) finishing in the records to win the title of College of the top 10. Additionally, three Yale 28 Year (―COTY‖). This award is given debaters—Kate Falkenstien, Sabrina Final Round every year to the college which Ali and Nick Cugini ranked among the Appearances consistently finishes in the top ranks of 10 best individual speakers in the American tournaments, and is meant country (Speaker of the Year, or to recognize both the breadth of talent ―SOTY‖). The novice debaters of the and continued success of a team. In the YDA were also a big part of the team‘s 2010-2011 season, Yale not only set the success this year, with Sesenu record for the highest number of COTY Woldemariam (BK ‗14) winning Novice points ever accumulated in a single of the Year (―NOTY‖), and two other 14 season, but dwarfed the competition in novices—Michael Barton (BK ‗14) and the process, ultimately winning more Zach Bakal (CC ‗14)—finishing among Top Novice points than the second (Harvard), third the top 10. Awards Record performance at the APDA National Championship Yale debaters set numerous Cugini (CC ‗13) reached quarterfinals, records this year at the American and four other Yale teams finished in Parliamentary Debate Association‘s octofinals. National Championship, hosted by the 21 One of the reasons the YDA was United States Military Academy in so successful was the record number of Debaters qualified West Point, New York. There, the team debaters who qualified to compete at for Nationals of Andrew Connery (PC ‗13) and Max Nationals. 21 Yale debaters qualified Dovala (SM ‗13) made APDA history for the National Championship, by becoming the first ever pair of breaking the record that the YDA had sophomores to advance to the final set during the previous season (17). round of the National Championship. Ultimately, not only was Yale able to Other Yale debaters were also qualify more debaters than any other successful, reaching every stage of school, but since 7 of the 16 teams in elimination rounds at the tournament. octofinals were from the YDA, Yale put Robert Colonel (SY ‗13) and David more teams in elimination rounds than Trinh (TD ‗12) reached the semifinal any other single school brought to 7 round, Sabrina Ali (ES ‗11) and Nick Nationals in total. Yale teams advancing to elimination rounds Right: members of the YDA at the tournament banquet. 8 Yale debaters in the top 20 Left: Max Dovala speakers (left) and Andrew Connery (right) during the final round. Yale dominates the 2011 North American Championship For the fourth time in six years, final round. the Yale Debate Association emerged Ultimately, Nate Blevins (PC victorious at the North American ‗12) and Pam Brown (SY ‗11) won the Debating Championship. 70 teams from tournament, and Pam became the first 3 of 4 across the U.S. and Canada converged –ever American woman to win the on Fordham University in New York city Three out of the North American Championship. Also for three days of debate on topics reaching the finals was the team of four teams ranging from the government‘s role in Alyssa Bilinski (CC ‗13) and Kate reaching semifinals promoting the arts to mandatory Falkenstien (SY ‗12). Kate was also were from Yale. paternity leave. named the top individual speaker at the After six preliminary rounds of tournament. debate, Yale was already shaping up as This was far from Yale‘s first the dominant team at the tournament, successful showing at the North with both the top-seeded individual American Championship. The team of team and 7 of the 16 teams reaching Andrew Rohrbach (TC ‗09) and Grant octofinals. Yale would continue its May (SY ‗10) won the tournament in success throughout elimination rounds, 2009, and Matt Wansley (TC ‘07) and with four of the eight teams in 7 Dylan Gadek (DC ‗07) won in 2007 after quarterfinals, three of the four teams in Matt had won the previous year Yale teams semifinals and both of the teams in the debating with Ben Eidelson (ES ‘08) . advancing to elimination rounds 5 Yale debaters in the top 10 speakers The YDA celebrates its victory following the finals of the 2011 North American Debating Championship YDA the top American team at Botswana Worlds Last December, 13 members of remarkable, the World Championship the YDA traveled to Gaborone, was only the second British Botswana for the World Universities Parliamentary-style tournament in Debating Championship, hosted by the which the pair of sophomores had ever University of Botswana. Yale sent five competed. However, such success teams and three adjudicators to the wasn‘t unfamiliar, since the pair had tournament, the largest of any also reached the semifinals of their first American delegation. BP-style tournament, the Oxford Inter- Varsity earlier in the season, where Two Yale teams survived the they only narrowly missed advancing nine intense preliminary rounds to 321 to the final round. Teams competing reach the break. Nate Blevins (PC ‗12) and Pam Brown (SY ‗11) reached Thanks to its strong at the World octofinals, and the team of Nick Cugini performance, Yale was able to hold on Championship (CC ‗13) and Ben Kornfeld (DC ‗13) to its position as the third-ranked finished as the most successful team in the world (well ahead of the American team at the tournament, next American team, ranked 11th). The becoming the first Yale team in three YDA hopes to continue this success at years to advance all the way to world next year‘s Worlds, hosted by De La semifinals. Making their Salle University in Manila, The accomplishment all the more Philippines. Right: YDA sophomore Ben Kornfeld debating in 3rd semifinals. Yale’s current rank in world debate (the highest of any American school) Left: members of the YDA wait for the announcement of results from the quarterfinal round. Yale debaters win first-ever Trans-Atlantic Championship Five members of the YDA Meredith Potter (SY ‗13), Nate Blevins traveled to Paris last November to (PC ‗12), Naz El Khatib (SY ‗12), Max compete in the first-ever Trans-Atlantic Dovala (SM ‗13) and Kristin Briggs (TC Debating Championship hosted by the ‗11). Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris The YDA won both of its debates (―Sciences Po‖). Yale joined Princeton as on unanimous decisions from the one of two American universities judging panels, first defeating Cambridge competing in the English-language 3624 in the semifinal, arguing in favor of the debates, along with delegations from the motion ―This house believes the British University of Cambridge and École Empire still rules the world‖ before Miles traveled by Polytechnique, the reigning French besting École Polytechnique in the final the Yale debaters national champions. round, arguing against the motion ―This to reach Paris. The tournament was conducted house believes Obama should not care in the unique ―Paris 5‖ style, in which about Europe.‖ The finals were observed two teams of five debaters each debate a by more than 300 members of the public motion released well in advance of the and judged by diplomats from the US, competition. Yale was represented by UK and France. 300 The number of observers who came to watch the final debate. Clockwise from above: the Yale delegation poses with their trophy after finals; the audience which came to watch Yale debate École Polytechnique in the final round; YDA members prepare for the semifinals against Cambridge. Yale meets Princeton, Harvard for Triangular Debates In a continuation of one of the For the 2011 iteration of the YDA‘s longest–standing traditions, six debates, Yale debaters Sabrina Ali (ES Yale debaters met with their 11), Pam Brown (SY 11) and Kristin counterparts from Princeton and Briggs (TC 11) debated a team from Harvard for the 103rd annual Harvard over individual rights vs. Triangular Debates. Dating back to collective norms. Meanwhile, Jonathan 1908, Triangulars have long been a Eng (JE 11), Kate Falkenstien (SY 12) forum for debaters from the nation‘s and Marc Wallach (CC 12) traveled to top schools to discuss current issues. debate at Princeton, arguing in favor 103 of a multi-polar world order. The number of times the The Third Annual Yale- Triangular Debates Howard Debates have been held. As part of its continuing work At the second debate in Washington, with the NAACP of Connecticut, the YDA members Kate Falkenstien, David YDA took part in the third annual Trinh, Nick Cugini and Aaron Hakim ―Great Debate,‖ pitting two teams of argued against the use of charter three debaters each against their schools in public education. counterparts from Howard University The YDA would especially like in Washington DC. to thank the NAACP of Connecticut, its 1,000+ While in previous years the president Scott X Esdaile and Howard event had been hosted at Yale, 2011 University for their hard work, Observers came to marked the first time that a second hospitality and support in making watch each of the debate between the schools was held these debates possible.